Yearly Archives: 2017

There are a variety of reasons why people may choose to add a blog to their website. Some people like to interact with their customers, some use it to provide information relating to products and services, some use it for SEO purposes. The key to making sure your blog is successful is trying to make it engaging.

Below are a couple of ways to give things a nudge in the right direction.

Tip No. 1 – Choose Snappy Titles and Headings

Headings are important for readability as they set the tone for the whole article. If are using your blog for SEO purposes however, they take on even more importance.

Google uses article headings to help understand the main topics of a long post and therefore the addition of headings will help to improve your chances of achieving a ranking on Google’s search engine for your post.

Tip No. 2 – Don’t Skip The Basics

When it comes to writing, the basics are good! Punctuation and structure may sound like the absolute basic of basics, it is amazing how many people still believe that it is ok to add huge blocks of text which are not broken up into relevant paragraphs and instead expect readers to fight their way through it!

Using paragraphs and punctuation can ensure that your content is far easier on the eye and much easier to read.

Tip No. 3 – Don’t Write Too Much!

Whilst it is widely believed that Google likes lengthy articles, the same cannot be said for humans! Rather than aiming for a re-writing of War and Peace, we believe that golden number for any online article should be a minimum of 300 words.

This should give you plenty of scope to get your point across without the concerns that the reader may lose interest.

Please Note – Typically, we try to aim for between 300 and 700 words and include any target keywords between 3 and 6 times.

Contact Us

If you would like to put your website in the hands of a company who will take it forward, please contact Footprint Web Design on Tel. No. 01883 372488 today.

Currently Browsing: How Engaging Is Your Blog?

By Ant Parker| 2017-05-16T10:19:30+00:00 June 1st, 2017|Blogging|Comments Off on How Engaging Is Your Blog?

Cyber attacks such as Malware and the recently highlighted ‘Ransomware’ attacks are becoming all too common.

To help combat against the constant threat posed by cyber hackers and online criminals we have created a list of tips to help improve your online security.

No. 1 – Be Careful What You Open

The majority of ransomware attacks continue to spread via the use of phishing emails. These e-mails often contain attachments which look like invoices or tax rebates. Opening these attachments will allow the virus to infect your computer.

It’s important that you never open attachments unless you are certain that you know what they contain. Many viruses are spread via attachments that look like invoices and tax rebates so please be ultra cautious.

Top Tip – As strange as this may seem, many fake e-mails, web pages and attachments often include bad spelling (“PayePal” instead of “PayPal” for example). They also have a different look from the standard templates used by reputable companies. These should both act as a red flag.

Looking at the e-mail address that the e-mail as been sent from can often be another tip that something is not right. If you are unsure, forward the e-mail to the company that the e-mail purports to be from and ask them if the e-mail is valid.

No. 2 – Update Windows Regularly

Computer viruses such as Malware and Ransomware rely on exploiting loopholes in outdated software to infect computers. Therefore it is absolutely essential that you ensure all Windows updates are implemented at the earliest possible opportunity.

If you are currently using Windows 10, the operating system should be automatically set to update itself. However, if you are using an older version, the default setting may well be for manual updates. If you use an older OS, you can find instructions on how to switch on automatic updates here.

No. 3 – Online Chat – What To Be Aware Of

Cybercriminals often use online chats, forums and apps to try and spread Malware. These often take the form of emergency messages.

As a general rule, Microsoft says, ‘Don’t click on a link on a webpage, in an email, or in a chat message unless you absolutely trust the page or sender.

No. 4 – Update Your Browser & Block Pop-Ups

Malware will try to exploit any weakness it can find to infect your computer. Blocking pop-ups and updating your internet browser regularly can significantly reduce the risk of being infected.

Top Tip – Whilst commonly used browsers such as Firefox and Chrome will update themselves automatically, it is still important to restart your browser every so often to make sure any recently installed updates are utilised.

No. 5 – Don’t Download Pirated Versions Music, Games or Films

We’re sure that none of you download illegal versions of anything but just in case you know someone that does, pirate website sites offering free music, games or films are often infested with malware!

Our advice is – don’t do it!

No. 6 – Back Up Your Files

Our final tip is not a preventative measure and is instead a damage limitation exercise.

Should your PC become infected it is essential that you have taken regular back-ups to ensure that the damage is not too severe.

Free online services such Google Drive and Dropbox offer the ideal way of backing up photos and data whereas removable hard drive (which you must not keep plugged into your computer all the time!) allow you to back-up and restore files quickly.

If you are a Windows 10 user, Microsoft has drawn up a guide for how to back up your machine and it can be found here.

Contact Us

If you would like to put your website in the hands of a company who will take it forward, please contact Footprint Web Design on Tel. No. 01883 372488 today.

Currently Browsing: How To Guard Against Malware Attacks

By Ant Parker| 2017-05-16T10:18:16+00:00 May 16th, 2017|Security|Comments Off on How To Guard Against Malware Attacks

In view of last week’s events which highlighted the constant risk posed by hackers and cyber-attacks (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39899646), we thought that now was a great time to offer a few tips to help guard against this ever-present risk.

However, before we offer our own tips on tightening your online security, we would like to address the specific threat from the ‘Ransomware’ which crippled many systems last Friday and would like to direct anyone who feels the could potentially have been compromised to read the information from United Hosting below.

Overview of risk

Microsoft have announced a vulnerability in Microsoft Server Message Block 1.0 (SMBv1) server today. This service (SMB) is utilised to present shares, printers and more on a Microsoft Domain network.

This vulnerability exposes core Active directory components to Remote Code Execution from unauthenticated attackers. They would be able to execute any code they wished to potentially gain access to the entire network. The patches Microsoft have provided should be tested installed as a matter of urgency.

Specific Security reports of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) are below –

The released patches target the SMBv1 service and the way it handles the particular requests that can be used to exploit it.”

How does the virus spread?

One of the key questions regarding this attack is how did it manage to spread so quickly?

There are 3 primary methods of entry for Malware to a computer. These are:

Opening attachments or clicking on links in phishing emails

Downloading legitimate-looking

Visiting a malicious site (particularly if you are using outdated software, browsers etc)

Please Note – If an infected computer is hooked up to a network, the virus can then spread to other connected computers.

Is It Possible To Protect My Computer From The Ransomware Virus?

Many of the users who were affected were still using outdated versions of Windows such as Windows XP which was no longer receiving security updates from Microsoft.

If you are using an older version of Windows, we would recommend upgrading your operating system ASAP.

Microsoft’s current operating system is Windows 10. Two slightly older versions, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, are also still available.

Am I Safe If I Have a More Recent Version of Windows Installed?

Even if you have a more recent version of Windows on your PC, we strongly recommend downloading all of the most recent updates and security software to increase your ability to guard against these threats.

Windows 10, 8.1 and 8 all include Microsoft’s Windows Defender antivirus software as standard and this can be effective against many types of malware and ransomware. If you are still using Windows 7, downloading Microsoft’s free Windows Security Essentials software can be beneficial.

What to do if your computer is infected?

The National Crime Agency (NCA) encourages victims not to pay any ransom and to contact Action Fraud.

Whilst there are lots of theories about the factors that Google uses to create its rankings, the truth is that no-one truly knows. However, experience has taught us that a variety of techniques can help us to ensure that our clients get a push up the rankings.

Are You Overlooking These?

Below we have outlined a few aspects of web design and SEO which can often be overlooked but can play a critical in any SEO campaign.

Addition of Fresh Content – It is commonly believe that Google loves the addition of fresh pages to a website. Don’t panic though, whilst it is always a good idea to keep your website fresh and up to date, old pages are very unlikely to be disregarded.

Make Sure Your Website Has a Sitemaps– Linking your website to a sitemap and then submitting to Google will let Google know precisely which pages are on your website.

Is Your Website The Hare or the Tortoise?– We live in an impatient world! If your website does not load quickly, there is every chance that users will head elsewhere. Google is widely believed to prioritise websites which load quickly, particularly with mobile searches.

Do Your Visitors Bounce From Your Website?– It is often the case that a lower bounce rate = higher rankings. The better the experience offered by your website, the more likely that Google will offer better rankings.

Keep URLs Short & Sweet– Whilst internet users can be impatient, so can Google! If your long tail URL contains more than 5 words, Google may start to disregard it. Short and to the point is the order of the day!

Contact Us

If you would like to put your website in the hands of a company who will take it forward, please contact Footprint Web Design on Tel. No. 01883 372488 today.

Currently Browsing: A Few Tips To Help Rise Up The Google Rankings

By Ant Parker| 2017-04-21T13:51:49+00:00 May 1st, 2017|Uncategorized|Comments Off on A Few Tips To Help Rise Up The Google Rankings

The answer to this is pretty obvious, or is it? Whilst many people instinctively choose their business name as their domain, not all wish to do this. Below we have outlined a couple of areas which we believe you should focus.

Area No. 1 – Keep it Short & Catchy

Snappy domain names help potential customers and also look better on printed media and when used on Social Media channels as they unlikely to be shortened when posted.

Choosing something short, catchy and relevant is often the best idea for any domain name, simply because they are easy for people to type and just as important, easy for people to remember.

Area No. 2 – Get Straight to the Point

It is always good practice to ensure that your domain name automatically offers potential customers a good idea of what your company actually does without them having to visit your website if possible.

Top Tip – Whilst some people like to go for something weird and wonderful, it’s important to remember that choosing something too obscure may actually result in the need for an increased effort and expense when it comes to branding and market to ensure customers know more about your products and services.

Bonus Area – Domain Names Can Be SEO Friendly

If you are looking to target a particular keyword with your SEO efforts, you may be able to factor this into your thinking.

For example, if you are looking to sell windows in Surrey, it could be worth exploring whether the domain name www.windows-surrey.co.uk is still available?

Further Information

If you’d like to speak to us regarding any aspect of web design or SEO, please give us a call on 01883 372488 or contact us via Facebook and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.

Currently Browsing: How To Choose The Right Domain Name

By Ant Parker| 2017-03-29T15:16:56+00:00 April 17th, 2017|Uncategorized|Comments Off on How To Choose The Right Domain Name

We are a team of ten guys and girls, all with our different skills, this includes, web designers, programmers, SEO experts, graphic design, not forgetting accounts and admin. We created our first web site in 1998 when the web was in its infancy and since then we have offered web site design and web solutions to all types of businesses, organisations and individuals.